How Electricity Works

Question 1

What is everything made from?

Answer 1

Atoms

Question 2

What are the 3 parts of an atom?

Answer 2

Protons, neutrons, electrons

Question 3

What are the charges of the elements in an atom?

Answer 3

Electrons are negative, protons are positive and neutrons do not have a charge

Question 4

What is the outer part of an atom called?

Answer 4

Valence shell (electrons may leave their atom from here)

Question 5

What is a circuit?

Answer 5

A route that electrons can flow along

Question 6

What is the diff between open and closed circuit?

Answer 6

Open circuit- electrons can’t pass

Closed circuit- electrons may pass

Question 7

What is voltage?

Answer 7

Pushing force of electrons within a circuit

Question 8

What is a “volt”

Answer 8

It is a joule / coulomb

Question 9

Explain joules and coulombs

Answer 9

Joules is a measurement of work while coulomb is a group of flowing electrons

Question 10

What is current?

Answer 10

Flow of electrons (measured in amps)

Question 11

What is an amp?

Answer 11

1 amp is 1 coulomb/second

Question 12

Explain resistance

Answer 12

A restriction to the flow of electrons in a circuit

Question 13

How does wire size affect resistance?

Answer 13

If a wire carrying the flow of electrons is longer or thinner, the resistance is greater— the opposite is true as well.

Question 14

What other things affect resistance?

Answer 14

Material type and temperature (hotter provides more resistance)

Question 15

What is a resistor?

Answer 15

A component made to purposely restrict the flow of electrons.

Question 16

What comes from the relationship of resistance and electron collisions?

Answer 16

Depending on the material, electrons may collide into other element atoms creating heat and at a certain temperature, light.

Question 17

What is an inductor?

Answer 17

A cable wrapped in a coil creating a magnetic field

Question 18

How can the magnetic field be affected?

Answer 18

It may be increased by coil turns or the core it is wrapped around

Question 19

Explain electromagnetic induction

Answer 19

It is caused by a magnetic field through a coil which induces a voltage and a current

Question 20

What is a transformer?

Answer 20

An electromagnetically induced coil that will induce a voltage into a second coil when using an alternating current (looks like wireless electricity)

Question 21

Explain capacitors

Answer 21

A capacitor separates positive from negative charges when it is connected to a power supply. They basically store electric charge.

Question 22

What are the 2 kinds of currents?

Answer 22

Alternating current (AC) and Direct current (DC)

Question 23

How does AC work?

Answer 23

Its current alternates directions because of a changing magnetic field

Question 24

How does DC work?

Answer 24

the current from DC travels only in one direction (found in batteries)